In another injury blow for Pep Guardiola to contend with, one Manchester City star may now require surgery alongside Manuel Akanji with the Citizens’ problems going from bad to worse.
Man City injury news
Anything that could go wrong has gone wrong for Manchester City this season. After four Premier League titles in a row, the champions have finally suffered from their push for such success and been hit with injury after injury. Rodri’s season-ending injury was enough to send Guardiola’s side in the wrong direction, but far more than just the Spaniard have been sidelined throughout the current campaign.
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Just when those at the Etihad thought they’d restored some stability in the first leg of their eventual Champions League defeat against Real Madrid, their medical team once again received what has become an all too familiar call. Down went Jack Grealish and down went Akanji followed by City’s Champions League hopes altogether, with the latter requiring surgery.
Only compiling their misery, Madrid then took a 3-2 lead to the Bernabeu where they romped to a 3-1 victory to win 6-3 on aggregate courtesy of a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick. But still, the bad news didn’t stop there.
As confirmed by Guardiola, John Stones may now require surgery alongside Akanji after he suffered his latest injury blow in the second leg against Real Madrid on Wednesday.
Just over a week ago, Stones looked likely to become the solution to Rodri’s absence in a surprise defensive midfield role. In just one half, he was forced to move back into the back four following Akanji’s injury. In just over a week, he’s been forced out the side altogether through another injury of his own.
Man City’s injury crisis continues
To say that Manchester City are paying for any potential sins this season would be an understatement. For the first time in Guardiola’s career, Champions League qualification is in doubt and a trip to the Etihad is perhaps a scarier prospect for the Spaniard himself rather than league leaders Liverpool this weekend.
Stones, perhaps even more than most, will be a major miss up against the Reds and others in the coming weeks. The England international has often found himself at the centre of Guardiola’s praise in what has been an illustrious City career.
The former Barcelona manager praised his defender’s shock goalscoring form earlier this season when he netted against both Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sparta Prague, telling reporters: “When Erling is not available John can play as a striker. Gerard Pique in Barca he had an incredible sense of goal and John is the same. He’s already scored a few goals. He’s back and I’m happy for him.”
Now set to be without both Stones and Akanji for some time, City must somehow create internal solutions yet again ahead of Liverpool’s visit.
